smedes



2- Sheets-Sheet 1.

(Model.)

L. K. SMEDBS.

HINGE.

Patented May 28, 1889.

WIT/VESSES:

Wmv/r) i UNITED STATES vLEVI K. SMEDES, OF

PATENT EEICE.

NEV YORK, N. -Y.

HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,313, dated May 28, 1889.

Application filed January 24, 1889. Serial No. 297,411. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, LEVI K. SMEDES, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hinges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hinges; and it consists of certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as described in the following' specification and claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a face view of a hinge whose plates are shown extended, with a brace which is also shown extended. Fig'. 2 isa rear view of the hinge and brace extended. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the hinge extended,the brace having been turned under the hinge at a right angle therewith. Vhen the parts are in this position, the plates of the hinge and brace can be folded on each other, as is indicated by the arrows, which show the direction of the movement in the act of being' folded. Fig. 4 is a top view of Fig. 3, showing the inner face of the brace and an edge view of the hinge, the brace and hinge being at a right angle with each other. Fig. 5 is an end view of gFig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3. Figs. (i and 7 show the hinge and brace plates folded on their pintles G G, and also on their pintles B and K. Fig. 8 shows the hinge applied to a foldingtable, the hinge and the table being shown extended. Fig. 9 shows the hinge and the table folded.

Similar letters indicate corresponding' parts.

The letters A A designate the plates of a hinge whose pintle B is at a right angle with the plane of the plates A, the ears C C, through which the pintle B passes, being in the same plane as the plates, or in planes parallel therewith. The plates A are hinged to the braceplates D D by means of the ears E and F, which are secured to each other by means of longitudinal pintles G G, upon which are secured spiral springs H H, arranged in such a manner as to cause their tension to be exerted in keeping the hinge and brace plates extended from each other in the same plane, as shown in Figs. l and 2, forming when in that position substantially a continuous plate.

The brace-plates D D are also hinged to each other by means of the ears I and J J and pintle K, the hinge-joint thereby formed being in line with the hinge-joint of the plates A and pintle B, as shown in the drawings; but when said hinge-plates A and brace-plates D are extended, as in Figs. l and 2, their axes are at right angles with each other, and consequently they cannot, when in that condition, be turned on their pintles. Furthermore, when the hinge and brace plates A and D are extended, as shown,their edges L meet squarely against each other and resist any possible displacement of the plates, being secured to each other along the line of their edges by the hinge-joint formed by the said ears E and F and pintles G G.

Vhen it is desired to lfold the hinge and brace, as shown in Fig. 6, it is necessary irst to overcome the tension of the springs H and turn the brace-plates D D from the position shown in Figs. l and 2 to that shown in Figs. 3 and 4L, whereby the hinge-plates A and brace-plates D are brought into planes at right angles with each other, and at the same time the axes of the hinge-pintles B and G are brought into the same plane, and consequently the hinge-plates A and brace-plates D can be folde'd and brought into the condition represented in Fig. 6, the plat-es A being at right angles with plates D.

My improvement is applicable to many articl'es which it is desired to reduce in bulk by folding them up, while the arrangement of the hinge and brace plates in the manner described insures great strength to them, as when they are extended and their several hinges opened the extended hinge-plates and brace-plates abut on each oth er by their edges L and are in t-he same plane.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, the letters M M designate the sections of a folding table, to which the hinge-plates A A are suitably secured by screws, as shown, the inner ends of the table-sections being arranged to come together on the line of the axis of the pintle B of the hinge. The sections M of the table are provided with legs N N, which are pivoted at O O to the table-sections, so that they canv be folded, as indicaiedin Fig. 9. The folding legs N N are locked in their extended posi- IOO tion by spring-Catches P P and stops Q Q, which engage the legs when extended, as is shown in Fig. S.

That I elaiin as new, and desire to secure by Letters PatentJ isl. The hinge-plates A A, and the pintle B,

` by which said plates are connected, and the axis of which is at right angles with the plane of said plates, in combination with the braceplates D D, the pintle K, by which said braceplates are hinged together, said pintle having its axis in the saine plane, or one parallel, with the plates A A, and the pintles G G, hin ging the plates D tothe plates A, substantially as described.

2. The hinge-plates A A, in combination with the brace-plates D D, having ears or lugs E and F, the pintles G G, connecting the plates D to the plates A along the edges, and the springs lI, coiled upon said pintles G, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LEVI K. sMEnEs. [n Sg] Witnesses:

J. VAN SANTVOORD, ERNEST F. KASTENHUBER. 

